


Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy: Extended and Revised

by robinwritesallthethings



Series: Jeffrey Dean Morgan Characters [71]
Category: Dead & Breakfast (2004)
Genre: Cowboys & Cowgirls, F/M, Family, Language, Romance, Self-Insert, Zombies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:27:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23479210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robinwritesallthethings/pseuds/robinwritesallthethings
Summary: When everything falls apart, Robin Ballard leaves her life behind. Eventually, she ends up in the little town of Lovelock, Texas, where she finds something she didn’t even realize she was looking for.
Relationships: The Sheriff (Dead & Breakfast)/Original Female Character(s), The Sheriff (Dead & Breakfast)/Robin Ballard (robinwritesallthethings)
Series: Jeffrey Dean Morgan Characters [71]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1933015
Comments: 10
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lovelock’s sheriff thinks about how lonely he is.

Sheriff sighed, rolling over as the sun shone through the window and hit his face, letting him know that it was time to wake up and start his day. He knew it couldn’t be avoided, but he still stubbornly resisted for a few moments, hugging his pillow tight and trying to recall the details of a dream he’d had the night before.

It had been about a woman. He knew that much. But, to his dismay, he now realized he couldn’t remember her face, or what her voice sounded like. He supposed it didn’t really matter. She wasn’t real, after all. But even a fantasy was better than the reality of being alone all the time.

He finally slipped out of bed, yawning and rubbing his eyes as he shuffled to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Once it was warm, he stepped in, leaning against the tiled wall and letting the hot water unknot the muscles in his back.

On some mornings, he allowed himself to indulge in the idea that someone might one day share this shower with him. He imagined it starting out playful, with lots of smiling and laughing and teasing, and then growing more serious as their desire for each other grew.

Not that he had anyone particular in mind. He’d already dated all of the eligible women in Lovelock, most either during high school or shortly after. They had all either left or married other people by now. And that was fine. They hadn’t been for him. But if they weren’t, who was? There was nobody left. And since he never intended to leave his tiny town, it seemed rather hopeless. It wasn’t like a stranger was just going to magically appear one day and happen to be the one he fell madly in love with. And even if he did, she’d have to love him back, and he felt like that was asking for a lot.

He left his fantasy behind, picturing it swirling down the drain with the last of the water. Best to leave what could never happen behind and focus on things that he could control.

He dried off and got dressed in his usual uniform, then carefully combed his hair and trimmed his beard and mustache. After, he headed into the front of the house where the station was and put on coffee, because Enus always forgot. Then he went back to his own kitchen to eat breakfast.

Once again, he found himself wishing he could share this. Having someone to cook for and with would be very gratifying.

He rinsed his dish, leaving it in the sink for later, grabbed his hat, and went outside, looking around to see if anything was out of place. As usual, there was nothing.

Not much happened in Lovelock that required the intervention of law enforcement. A little too much drinking was fairly common, but people rarely got violent. Livestock wandered off every once in a while. But Sheriff still made the rounds each morning to make sure everyone was okay. It was kind of a superstition at this point. He figured that if he didn’t do it, that would be the day something bad would happen.

The only times he really needed to be exceptionally vigilant were when they had visitors, which wasn’t often. A little more than usual now thanks to the bed and breakfast that had been set up just on the outskirts of town. But most of those people were just looking for a quiet, atmospheric stay in the country. Only a few got unruly. It was mostly younger kids from nearby cities looking for a place where they could be alone to drink and get rowdy who caused problems.

He tipped his hat at Margaret Palim, his neighbor. She had been his mother’s best friend for her whole life, and after she’d died, Margaret had taken it upon herself to keep an eye on Sheriff, even though he was certainly old enough to keep an eye on himself.

“Coffee, Sheriff?” she offered as he mounted the steps to join her on the porch.

“Sure thing, Margaret. Thank you.”

He almost always had his second cup of the morning with her. He sat down and took the mug when she offered it, sipping it thoughtfully as he looked out at the horizon.

“You’re looking troubled this morning, Sheriff,” Margaret observed.

He smiled at her. “Just thinking, is all,” he answered vaguely.

“About being alone again?” she pressed him.

He sighed. “Yeah. But I don’t really want to talk about it.”

She reached out and patted his knee affectionately. Her hands were wrinkled with age, but just as strong as ever. Margaret was an expert baker, and she spent most of her days kneading dough. Sheriff had helped her when he was a kid, so he knew that it was hard work.

“Don’t lose hope, Sheriff. There’s someone out there for you,” she assured him confidently.

“Where, though, Margaret? Not in Lovelock, and this is where I’m going to stay.”

“You never know what’s going to happen, Sheriff,” she replied placidly.

“Maybe.”

He didn’t really believe it, but he didn’t want to hurt her feelings. They finished their coffee in silence before he stood back up and went to finish his walk.

He worked for the rest of the morning, heading back over to her place after lunch. She saw him coming through her kitchen window and popped out to meet him. “What’s on your mind, Sheriff?”

“How would I even know if I met the person I was supposed to be with?” he blurted out, taking off his hat and turning it over in his hands.

“It’s just a feeling that you get, Sheriff. It’s impossible to explain. You’ll know when it happens.”

He laughed bitterly. “That doesn’t make me feel much better,” he admitted.

“I know. But it’s the way it is.” She shrugged. “I’m sorry you’ve had to wait so long. I know it’s not easy.”

“I’ll be okay,” he lied, putting his hat back on and glancing up at the sky. “Storm’s coming in,” he noticed, eyeing the gray clouds slowly coming their way.

“Big one,” Margaret agreed. “We’ll be in for the rest of the night. I better go get ready.”

“Take care, Margaret. Let me know if you need anything.”

“I will, Sheriff.”

She smiled at him and he went back home to make sure all of his windows were closed and everything else was ready for the storm.

Spending the night in alone was the last thing he wanted to do.

But what other choice did he have?


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin’s car breaks down just outside Lovelock.

“Fuck.”

Robin Ballard swore as her car made a sputtering sound and died right there on the road. For a second, she just rested her head against the steering wheel, hoping that it might magically start again. But when she tried the key, nothing happened.

She got out and opened the hood, but it was just for show. She had no idea what she was looking at or for. She slammed it shut angrily, kicking the tire as she walked back around the car, yelping when she remembered too late that her feet were bare.

She leaned in and grabbed her bag. She’d known the car wasn’t going to last forever, but she had hoped it wouldn’t give up the ghost in the middle of nowhere in Texas. She didn’t have a phone anymore, and even if she did, there’d be no one to call anyway. So her only choice was hiking to the nearest town to see what she could do.

She already knew the answer was not much. She had just over $100 left, and that probably wasn’t going to get her anything. But she pushed that thought aside. If she worried about that right now, she was going to have a panic attack, and she just didn’t have the time for that at the moment.

She had no idea where she was, except Texas, and that was pretty broad. She didn’t have a map, either. She looked back down the road, trying to remember if she’d passed any signs recently. She didn’t think so. She turned the other way and heaved a sigh of relief as she saw one just up ahead. As long as it didn’t say the nearest town was fifty miles away, she might have just gotten lucky.

“Lovelock, Texas,” she read aloud, slipping on her cheap flip-flops as she walked. Apparently, she was pretty much right there already. It was only about a mile up the road. “It’ll have to do,” she muttered, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

There was a slight hill ahead of her. As she climbed it, she grimaced at the storm clouds looming on the horizon. It was definitely going to rain. She hoped she wouldn’t get caught in it. It didn’t rain that often in Texas, but when it did, it really rained.

She could see Lovelock now that she was at the top of the hill. She frowned as she noticed that it seemed like a town with only one street. She’d be lucky if there was a mechanic there at all, much less a place to stay, or even a place to eat.

But she didn’t have any other choice. She had to try.

She had only walked a few feet when the torrential downpour started. She didn’t have an umbrella, and it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. She was drenched within ten seconds, and the rain was so heavy that it would have flattened any umbrella.

The side of the road was dirt, and her plastic shoes started to slip in the mud. She stopped and took them off, letting them dangle from her fingers as she walked the rest of the way.

As she turned onto the town’s one visible street, she glanced at the signs on the buildings. There weren’t many. There had to be more of this town somewhere else. You had to have some sort of minimum population to count, right? There hadn’t been any indication of Lovelock’s population on the sign. Maybe they didn’t have a sign welcoming people to the town, or maybe she’d entered from the wrong side to see it.

There was a repository for town records, but it looked like it was closed. She kept going, happy when she saw that the next building was marked as the sheriff’s station. That seemed like the best possible place to ask for help.

She knocked. “Hello?” she called when there was no answer. Maybe there was no one here, or maybe they were out helping people because of the storm. There couldn’t have been more than a few cops in this town. “Hello?” she called again, opening the door and tentatively stepping inside.

There was a front desk, but no one was sitting at it. She didn’t want to go further in, though, not if she didn’t have to. She was soaking wet, dripping everywhere, and her feet were caked in mud.

“Coming!” a voice called back. “What can I do for ya, um…” He paused as he came into view, staring at her. “Oh. I don’t know you.”

He sounded shocked. She wasn’t too surprised. He probably knew everybody in town, and she doubted anyone stopped here that often.

What shocked her was how handsome he was. For a moment, all she could do was stare at him. He was tall and husky, with thick, curly, dark brown hair, a neatly trimmed matching beard, and sparkling hazel eyes. His uniform shirt and jeans hugged his body perfectly, and he even made the stereotypical cowboy boots and hat look good.

When she didn’t say anything, he took his hat off and smiled at her, his full lips curving up to reveal intensely deep dimples. “Howdy, ma’am,” he greeted her, his accent thicker than she’d expected. She was surprised to find that she liked it. “What can I do for you?”

“You’re the sheriff?” she finally asked.

As soon as it was out of her mouth, she realized how stupid of a question it was. Of course he was. There was a giant silver star pinned to his shirt.

He tapped the badge. “That’s me,” he confirmed. He frowned as he looked her up and down. “Are you okay?” he asked, his concern obvious in his voice. “You’re soaking wet and covered in mud.”

She nodded. “Um, yeah. My car broke down on the road just outside of town. I was walking over here for some help when I got caught in the rain.”

“Sorry you got caught in the storm,” he apologized. “Randall runs the service station nearby. He’ll be hunkered down for the night, though, I expect. Storm’s supposed to last that long. I’m sure I can get him to take a look once it’s over.” He paused. “Do you have somewhere to be? I’m guessing you didn’t mean to end up here. We don’t get a lot of visitors.”

“I don’t have anywhere to be,” she answered reluctantly. “But I don’t want to impose. Is there a place to stay somewhere nearby?” she wondered, not feeling very optimistic that there would be.

“There’s a bed and breakfast on the edge of town,” he told her after a long silence. “But I wouldn’t want you walking that far in the storm, or having to pay for a stay you didn’t plan on.” He stepped to the side and gestured behind him with his hat. “The station is just the front of the building. The rest is my house. You’re welcome to stay here.”

“That’s… very generous of you,” she murmured, licking her lips. They tasted like rain. “But I can’t impose,” she repeated.

She didn’t like how earnest he was being. Maybe it was just good manners and hospitality. It wasn’t that she was afraid of him. She didn’t get that kind of vibe at all. But she was trying not to get close to anyone, and she had a gut feeling that he might press for more information than she was willing to give, which would just make the entire situation awkward.

She should save whatever money she had. She could walk back to the car, sleep in it until she was able to get it looked at in the morning. She didn’t have any food on her, and she hadn’t seen a place to buy any here, but she could survive one hungry night. She’d done it before.

“It wouldn’t be an imposition at all,” he assured her.

He seemed almost panicked at the thought of her leaving, but she still shook her head again. “Thank you, but no. I’ll find the service station in the morning and see what they can do for me.”

She turned to head back out into the rain. She didn’t want to. All the loneliness was getting to her. Spending every night in a different place all by herself, with no idea where her next meal and bed would be and no idea what the future held, was not an existence she’d ever wanted for herself. But, until she figured out what to do, it was all she had.

And she couldn’t risk trusting someone again. Not after what had happened. Everyone she had ever trusted had let her down, and she wouldn’t survive it a second time.

Then he grabbed her hand. “Please,” he said softly. “Please stay.”

She slowly turned back to him. She was cursed with the inability to keep her moods from showing on her face, and it must have been obvious that she was conflicted, even to this man who had just met her.

The logical side of her was at war with the emotional one, and she had no idea what to do.


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sheriff extends a very generous offer to Robin, but she’s not sure if she can take it.

He swallowed hard as he touched her skin. She was cold and wet, but he could still tell how soft she was. She blinked up at him slowly, her hazel eyes wide. She didn’t answer yet, but she didn’t pull away either.

She was afraid. He could tell. He had seen the look before. Mostly on people passing through on the run from something. They’d never asked him for help, and they’d vanished so fast that he hadn’t been able to find out more.

But he’d seen it more personally too. In his mother’s eyes, after she’d gotten sick. He’d never been able to make her fear go away, because it hadn’t been fear for her. She’d accepted that she would die far sooner than most people would have. She had been afraid for him. Afraid that he would be alone after she was gone.

He’d promised himself that he would never let someone leave again without helping them if he saw that fear in their eyes. Not that he would force her. Of course he wouldn’t. But he had to try harder than just asking her to stay once and letting her leave.

Even putting all of that aside, he couldn’t have let her go. Because when he’d seen her, standing in his doorway, bedraggled and dripping and covered in mud, he had felt it. What Margaret had talked about earlier. It didn’t make any sense, but somehow he knew that she was the one for him, and if he let her leave without somehow exploring that, he’d never be able to forgive himself.

“I wouldn’t feel right,” he said softly. “Letting you go out into that. I’m sure you’re capable of taking care of yourself, but you don’t have to right now. Just… stay. Take a shower, get warm, have some dinner, get some sleep. Please.”

He grabbed his jacket off of the hook by the door, never letting go of her hand. “Here, put this on,” he urged her. “Until we get you inside and taken care of. You’re shivering.”

She looked down at herself suddenly, as if she didn’t believe him, frowning when she realized that he was right. He let go of her hand reluctantly, stepping closer to her so he could drape the jacket over her shoulders.

She continued staring down at herself, looking at the jacket curiously. “I’m going to get it wet,” she protested.

He laughed. “It’s a jacket. That’s what it’s for.”

“I’ll get your floor all dirty,” she tried again. “If I go further in.”

“It’s a floor. I can clean it.”

“I’m…” She laughed softly, and he swore his heart skipped a beat. It was a perfect sound, musical and light. “I’m running out of excuses, aren’t I?” she finished sheepishly.

He had to remind himself to breathe when she bit her full, pink lower lip. All he wanted to do was kiss those lips as he begged her never to leave. “I hope so,” he managed to admit. “Come on,” he urged her. “I just put a fresh pot of coffee on. Have some.”

She kept worrying her lower lip in between her teeth as she dropped her shoes and bag and slowly slipped her arms into the sleeves of his jacket. He reached forward and zipped it up for her, smiling as he noticed the way she shyly buried her nose in the collar and breathed in deeply.

When she caught him staring, she blushed. “Sorry,” she murmured. “It smells nice.”

“Good,” he murmured back, reaching out and taking her hand again. “Come on. Kitchen’s just through that door there.”

He pointed and she nodded. He started to walk and she followed him, no longer resisting. It was a literal step in the right direction, and he was thrilled.

He led her through the door that separated the station part of the house from the home part, shutting and locking it behind them. It was more than likely that no one would be visiting the station tonight, and even if they did, they knew to knock.

The kitchen glowed warmly against the dark backdrop of the windows. He’d pulled the curtains earlier to let in some light, but there was none coming in now, of course. For a moment, he considered settling her in one of the comfortable armchairs in the living room. He’d be able to see her because he had an open floor plan, but it was still too far away for his liking.

So he offered her a spot on one of the stools that lined his kitchen island instead. They weren’t as comfortable as the armchairs, but they weren’t bad. He sat and ate breakfast there every morning himself.

He helped her up into the seat, rubbing his hand over her back before he walked around the island, setting his hat down on the way. He pulled two mugs off of the hanging rack he’d installed under his cabinets and poured the coffee.

“Cream or sugar?” he asked, turning to her and smiling.

She looked a little taken aback at the question, like she wasn’t used to anyone asking for her opinion. She swallowed. “Um, a little bit of both, if it’s not too much trouble.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” he assured her, fixing the cup and setting it in front of her.

She wrapped her hands around the mug gratefully. She seemed to like its warmth. After a moment, she took a sip and sighed gratefully. “It’s perfect,” she told him. “Thank you.”

He leaned against the counter across from her, his hands wrapped around his own mug. “You’re welcome,” he replied sincerely, pausing for a moment to think.

There was so much he wanted to ask her, but he didn’t want to scare her away by being too intrusive. He decided to start with what he already knew and ease into the rest.

“Do you know what’s wrong with the car?” he wondered. “I could give Randall a heads up when I call him.”

She shrugged. “I honestly have no idea. I really don’t know anything about cars. It was old when I started this, um, road trip.” She looked down at her coffee for a moment. She wasn’t lying, exactly, but she was bending the truth. He could tell. “I’m not even sure it can be fixed,” she admitted.

He frowned and tilted his head. She was looking to the side to avoid meeting his eyes, but he could tell easily enough that she was trying not to cry. “Well, now,” he said, trying to be comforting, “let’s not assume that until Randall takes a look, all right?”

She swallowed and looked back at him. “Do you know, um, how much he charges to take a look?” she asked quietly.

“Well, now, I think it depends,” he explained. “You worried about how much it’ll cost?”

She nodded shortly. “I, um, don’t have much.”

She clearly hoped he wasn’t going to inquire further, but he couldn’t help it as he put two and two together using what she’d said earlier. “You said you don’t have anywhere to go,” he remembered, “and you don’t have much money.”

She stared steadfastly down into her coffee now, refusing to meet his eyes. He hadn’t really asked a question, so she wasn’t obligated to answer. But he waited to see what she would say, not wanting to push her.

After a moment, she sighed. “I know it’s a long shot,” she started, “but is there somewhere around here that I could get work? I might have to save up for a little while before I can move on.”

He was almost ashamed of how happy he was at the admission. She was clearly upset about it, but her face was determined, like she understood that this was her reality and she had to face it. He admired that kind of strength.

“Well, um, now that you mention it,” he admitted, trying to sound casual, “I’ve been meaning to hire an assistant around here. I have another deputy, but, believe it or not, this place keeps us both pretty busy, so there are plenty of things I just don’t get to. Everyone around here already has their own gigs, so if you want it, it’s yours.”

It wasn’t a lie. He had been meaning to hire an assistant. He just hadn’t been looking that hard until now.

She glanced up at him in surprise. “You don’t even know if I’m qualified for a job like that,” she pointed out.

He shrugged. “This isn’t meant as an insult, but it’s not that hard of a job. I’m sure you’re capable. But, if you’d like, I could take your resume in the morning,” he offered. “We could hash out the details, talk about how much you’ll get paid, benefits, things like that.” He paused. “And before you ask about a place to live, you’re welcome to stay here. Rent-free.”

“I don’t accept charity,” she responded immediately.

“It’s not charity,” he assured her. “It’s kindness. And we’ll talk about it tomorrow,” he added in a tone of voice that made it clear there was going to be no argument, though he was still being gentle. “Finish your coffee,” he told her. “You can take a shower while I make dinner. Then you can get a good night’s sleep before you tackle all of this.”

She took a long drink of her coffee, then stared at him thoughtfully. He smiled at her. “Look. I know I’m just a sheriff in a small town, but I can tell when someone is running from something. You don’t have to tell me what it is until you’re ready, but I’m not letting you leave here without help. People have slipped through my fingers before, and I’ve always regretted that. So, just for tonight, forget about whatever is happening and relax, all right? Get your head on straight and you’ll be in a much better position to think about it tomorrow.”

If she was thinking straight, she’d understand how good the offer was and want to take it. He hoped. It was the only way he’d get a chance to explore all the new feelings currently exploding inside him.

He stared back at her, holding his breath. He had never wanted something so much in his life, and he desperately hoped he hadn’t already screwed it up by laying almost all of his cards on the table like that. But he needed her to understand that she had a place here, no matter how lost she felt.

She may not have realized it yet, but he knew that they’d always been meant to find each other. And that was something he just couldn’t afford to lose.


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin decides to stay, at least for the night.

She swallowed hard as she looked at him. She knew he was telling the truth. It was kindness, not charity. It was too generous to just be charity.

She also knew that she would have to be an idiot not to accept his offer. She wasn’t going to get an offer like that anywhere else.

The only thing she didn’t understand was why he would make it. It wasn’t that she thought there weren’t people who gave what they had freely to others in need. She knew there were people in the world like that, because she was one of them.

But she had been burned so badly that she just couldn’t help but suspect his motivations. She certainly didn’t have money or possessions he could take. Besides, he appeared to have everything he needed here. His house was beautiful. Far more beautiful than she’d expected it to be in a little place like this.

For her, that left two choices. Either he was the type of man who just liked having someone under his thumb, which she seriously doubted, or he wanted sex.

She couldn’t be sure about the last one. He certainly didn’t seem predatory, but he was also staring at her a lot. Not at her tits or ass, though, like men usually did when that was what they wanted.

He kept looking at her face. Into her eyes. That suggested something deeper, but it didn’t make sense. They’d just met.

She finished the coffee in her cup and bit her lip. If she questioned the offer now, the conversation could get overly complicated, and his generosity could disappear entirely. She didn’t really think it would, but she also felt like she couldn’t risk it. She had precious little to rely on right now, and one night of comfort could shore her up for whatever was ahead, whether it was staying here or going somewhere else.

Finally, she nodded. “You’re right. I should focus. Get some sleep. Figure everything out tomorrow. Thank you.” She smiled at him next. “You’re pretty sharp. So I guess the whole Barney Fife myth isn’t true?”

He chuckled. “I may or may not have been accused of not knowing my own ass from a hole in the ground from time to time,” he admitted.

“Well, I don’t see any holes around here, so if you point to your ass for me, how about we say it’s debunked?” she suggested.

He winked at her, standing and canting his hip to the side so he could put a finger on his backside. She laughed. “There you go.”

“More coffee?” he wondered.

She shook her head. “I better not, or I’ll never get that good night’s sleep you brought up.”

“Fair enough,” he agreed. “Why don’t you take that shower while I make dinner, then?”

“I would like that very much,” she confessed. “Thank you.”

She slipped off of the stool and he gestured toward the back of the room. “It’s this way.”

He walked beside her to show her. She took in the rest of the house as he led her through his bedroom to a very nice master bathroom with a large walk-in shower.

“The towels hanging up are clean,” he told her, pointing them out. “Feel free to use any products in the shower. Do you have a change of clothes in the bag you left in the front of the building?”

“No,” she grimaced. “They’re all in the car. I don’t think it’s exactly worth the trip just to retrieve them at the moment.”

He shook his head in agreement. “It’s coming down out there even harder now. I’ll find something you can wear. We can wash what you’ve got on after you’re done. Just let me know if you need anything else, all right?”

He left the bathroom, starting to close the door behind him. Then he paused. “Are you allergic to anything? Want anything particular to eat?”

She smiled and shook her head. “No allergies, and I’m not picky. Thank you again, for all of this.”

“It’s no problem at all,” he assured her. “I’ll leave the clothes on the bed, and I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.”

“I appreciate it,” she told him one more time.

She didn’t want him to think that she was ungrateful. His smile told her that he didn’t think that at all as he shut the door to give her some privacy.

She shed his jacket and her wet clothes, which had already gone for quite a while without being washed, and turned on the water as hot as she could bear it. The thought of being conservative had crossed her mind, since it did seem more polite, but if this was the last luxury she was going to get for a while, she didn’t want to do that. And it occurred to her that it might be a good test of her new host. If he went nuts over her using too much hot water or something, she’d know where she stood.

When she stepped under the spray, she almost moaned. He had an amazing showerhead, and the water was the perfect temperature to unknot the tense muscles in her back as it washed the dirt and grit away from her skin.

She’d thought that her brain would start running a million miles a minute once she was alone, but instead she found herself just reveling in the comfort of the water. Before she got too lost and just stood there, she grabbed the shampoo and started to wash her hair.

His products were nice. She’d smell a little manly, for sure, but she didn’t have a problem with that. She’d be clean, and that was a gift.

To keep herself from falling into her thoughts, she hummed softly while she rinsed her hair, then used his conditioner and body wash. She decided to shave her legs too, craving the feeling of smooth skin.

Once she was finished, she shut the water off and stepped out, grabbing one of his big, fluffy towels and drying herself off.

She wandered out into the bedroom while she was toweling her hair to find the clothes he’d left. The pants were going to be way too big, so she decided to just wear the flannel shirt. She headed back into the bathroom with it, using the mirror to position it. It was long enough that she wouldn’t need underwear. A little tight across the chest, maybe, but after some fiddling, she positioned her breasts just right so the shirt held them up and hid most of them.

If nothing else, it would test her sex theory. If she walked out there looking like this and he wanted her body, he probably wouldn’t be able to resist trying something.

She fluffed her hair out, letting it air-dry the rest of the way while she put some lotion on her legs. Then she stood, cleaned her hands, and headed back out to the kitchen.

He was just putting the finishing touches on dinner, apparently. When he looked up and caught sight of her, his eyes widened. She waited for some kind of lewd comment or even an outright suggestion, but when he merely blushed and looked back down at the plates he was preparing, she knew she’d definitely pegged him wrong in that department.

“Is this okay?” she asked. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“Are you comfortable?” he asked back. She nodded and he shook his head. “Then it’s okay.”

“Where are we sitting?” she wondered, looking around.

There didn’t appear to be a dining room table at all, so she wasn’t surprised when he gestured to the island. “I usually eat here. I mean, it’s generally just me, but there’s enough space for two.”

She got back onto the same stool she’d sat on before. “Was your shower nice?” he asked, blushing again.

“Very, very nice,” she answered sincerely. “Thank you.”

“You don’t have to keep saying thank you,” he told her, setting a plate in front of her. “Can I get you something to drink? I have juice, soda, sparkling water.”

“Sparkling water would be wonderful. Thank…” She smiled and stopped talking. “Please?” she tried instead.

He smiled back and nodded. “Sure.”

He grabbed two sparkling waters out of the fridge and sat down beside her. “It smells delicious,” she observed.

She hadn’t eaten this well in a while. On the plate in front of her was steak, a loaded baked potato, and a refreshing green salad.

“Thanks. Uh, I like to cook, but like I said, it’s usually just me, so… not a lot of opportunities for praise.” He paused. “If you’re staying, and I, uh, hope you are, I’ll cook for you more.”

She blinked. “You’d really take the roommate thing seriously, huh?” she joked.

He licked his lips. “Yeah, um. Roommates. Sure.”

He seemed resigned, and she instantly felt bad. “I was just kidding,” she assured him gently. “I like to cook too,” she revealed.

“You do?” He poked at his salad for a moment, then shyly said, “Maybe we could cook together sometime.”

She nodded. “I’d like that,” she said before she could stop herself.

She didn’t even know if she was really staying, but she found herself not wanting to disappoint him for some reason.

He beamed in response, then looked sheepishly at the plates. “Eat up, before it gets cold.”

She picked up her fork and knife and cut a piece of steak, putting it in her mouth and chewing. Once again, she almost moaned. “It tastes even better than it smells,” she murmured.

“Thank you,” he said, smiling happily.

“Why don’t we, um, talk while we eat?” she suggested.

It was a dangerous thing to do, but she could tell he wanted to talk, and it seemed like the least she could offer, considering what he was doing for her.

“I’d like that,” he agreed, eating a bite of his own steak.

“All right,” she started. “So what would you like to talk about?”


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sheriff and Robin talk before turning in for the night.

“Well.” He mixed everything together into his baked potato, suddenly feeling shy. “Why don’t we start with introductions? I don’t even know your name.”

“Oh.” Robin blushed as she realized that she’d never introduced herself. “I’m sorry. How rude of me. I’m Robin. Um.” She hesitated before continuing. “Robin Ballard.”

“That’s a beautiful name,” he complimented her.

She had probably hesitated because she was afraid he was going to use it to look her up. And he probably would, eventually, if he had to. But he decided that first he’d try to get her to talk to him.

She bit her lip and smiled at him curiously. “You think so?” she asked. “I’ve never liked it.”

“Really?” he wondered. “I can understand that. I’ve never liked mine,” he admitted. “But yours makes me think of spring. Birds and rain and green things. Not that we get much of that down here in Texas, but those things are nice.”

When he didn’t offer up his own name, she smiled and nudged him. “So what’s yours? I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think it is,” she reassured him.

He huffed and grimaced. “Sheriff Sherwood,” he muttered.

“Sherwood’s not so bad,” Robin decided. “Maybe not popular, but not bad.”

He bit his lip self-consciously. “Maybe, but Sherwood’s not my first name.”

Her brow furrowed. “I’m confused,” she told him. “You said…”

“Sheriff Sherwood.” He nodded slowly. “Sheriff is my first name.”

“Huh.” She tilted her head curiously, realizing her mistake. “So you’re a sheriff… named Sheriff.” He nodded again and made a face. “Okay,” she joked. “Maybe that’s a little bad.”

He chuckled. “Told you.”

“It’s just sort of unfortunate, considering your title,” she decided. “Otherwise, it’s unique?” He raised an eyebrow at her skeptically and she laughed. “You’re not buying my diplomacy, are you?”

He laughed along with her. “You have a nice way of puttin’ it, Robin,” he relented, relaxing a bit. “I almost considered not becoming a sheriff because of the name,” he revealed. “But that seemed like a stupid reason not to do the job I wanted.”

“I agree.”

“Thank you for being so nice about it,” he told her gratefully.

“You’re welcome.” She glanced around, then asked, “Would you tell me more about the house? It’s really beautiful.”

He knew she was sticking to safe topics, and he decided to go along with it for now. “Thank you. I, uh, did most of the work myself.”

“Really? That’s very impressive.”

“Yeah. At first I was living on my parents’ farm, even after I became the sheriff. This place was in pretty bad shape. The previous sheriff just kind of let it go, and since he had the job for decades, there wasn’t much anyone could do about it.”

“Why did you decide to move in? Just because you fixed it up for yourself?”

“Um, no. No, not really.” He hung his head a little, trying to push away the memories even as he answered. He certainly wasn’t going to lie to her or keep secrets. He wanted her to be honest with him, and the only way that was going to happen was if he did the same. “My parents died.”

She closed her eyes and bit her lip. “Sheriff, I’m so sorry,” she murmured. “I didn’t mean to bring up something so hurtful.”

He shook his head at her gently. “You didn’t know, Robin. It’s not your fault. They didn’t, um, die at the same time. It was my daddy who went first. Heart attack. After that, I lived there with my momma. But she got cancer. I took care of her, but there was nothing they could really do. After she died, it just didn’t feel like home anymore. So I decided to sell the land and fix this place up.”

He gasped when she reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing it comfortingly. “I’m so sorry, Sheriff,” she said again. “It sounds like you really loved your parents.”

“I did,” he whispered.

“I’m sorry that you lost them,” she told him sincerely.

He nodded. Maybe one day he’d tell her more about his family, but right now it was too much. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her. He already did, absolutely. He just didn’t want to talk about something sad with her when she was clearly sad already. She needed happiness in her life right now. They could deal with tragedies later.

“You really like the house?” he asked. “I don’t know where you’re from, so I wondered if it might be too… provincial for you,” he admitted warily. “I don’t mean any offense by the comment.”

“And I didn’t take any,” she assured him gently. “I’m from a bigger city, yes. Not huge, like New York or anything, but big enough. Truthfully, I’ve always wanted to live in a small town. A nice, simple place where everyone knows everyone, you know? Almost like a family.”

He brightened considerably at the confession. The pieces were already falling into place. She didn’t have anywhere to go, but he had a job for her. And she’d always wanted to live in a place exactly like this. He’d wonder what the odds were, but he knew why. It was just another sign for him.

“I like living in a smaller place like this,” he revealed. “I went to college and the police academy in Houston, and I didn’t like it one bit. I mean, I liked learning and all of that. Just not the big city life.”

She nodded. When she looked down, she realized that she was still holding his hand. She blushed again and withdrew it. He considered not letting her, but once again decided not to push for now.

“I do like the house,” she answered his earlier question. “It’s cozy, but open, and the bathroom and kitchen are nice. I noticed the fireplace in the bedroom too. I love fireplaces. I bet it’s warm in winter.”

“It is,” he confirmed. “I was actually going to take it out when I renovated everything, but it was in better shape than I thought it would be, so I kept it. And, as it turned out, it would have been an absolute pain to remove it.”

“As good of a reason as any,” Robin agreed. “Have you always been handy around the house?”

He nodded. “Learned it from my dad. And I like those, uh, home improvement shows. I learned a lot from them. Used a lot of the stuff I saw in the house’s design.”

“I like those shows too,” she admitted. “Those and cooking shows. They’re my favorites. They’re about making a place your home, you know?”

They had both cleared their plates. Now she drew her feet up onto the chair, resting her chin on her knees and growing quiet. When a single, solitary tear escaped and trailed down her cheek, he immediately leaned forward and wiped it away.

“You want a home, don’t you, Robin?” he asked softly.

She nodded. “Yes. I do.”

It took everything he had not to just let his thoughts spill out at that moment. But he felt that, as she relaxed, she was slowly coming around to the idea of staying here with him, and he couldn’t risk scaring her away from it. If he confessed, he was sure that she would see it as coming on too strong and get spooked and run. He might be able to find her again, but anything could happen to her in that period of time, and he didn’t want to risk her getting hurt.

“Why don’t you get some sleep, Robin?” he suggested gently. “You can have my bed. I’ll take the couch.”

She shook her head. “Sheriff, I can’t take your bed.”

“Yes, you can,” he insisted. “It’s the right thing to do. When was the last time you slept in a comfortable bed, Robin?”

She shrugged noncommittally. “Then it’s settled,” he decided. “You’ll sleep there. I’ll be right out here if you need me, all right?”

She either didn’t have the strength to argue, didn’t think he’d give in, or wanted to sleep in the bed and was going to despite her protests. Either way, he’d take it.

“I’ve got an extra toothbrush in my bathroom,” he told her. It was a habit he’d retained from his mother, to always have extra things on hand just in case of guests. “It’s yours if you want it.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

She slipped off of the chair and moved back to the bedroom. He shadowed her the whole way, turning down the bed while she used the bathroom. When she came back and joined him, he gestured to it.

She slipped between the sheets and he pulled the blankets over her. He glanced at the fireplace. “It’s too warm to light it tonight. But I’ll do it for you when it’s colder, all right?”

She didn’t really respond to that. He knew she hadn’t entirely decided, and that was okay. It was still pouring outside. She wasn’t leaving tonight.

“Sleep well, Robin.”

He turned the lights off, leaving the door cracked just a little. In the living room, he settled into his favorite chair. He left his clothes on, with the exception of taking off his boots and hat. Best to be ready just in case anyone needed help overnight.

It was less than an hour before she crept into the room. He was comfortable, but awake, watching home improvement shows at low volume on the TV.

When he saw her, he sat up a little. “Robin, are you okay?”

She shook her head briefly. “I can’t sleep,” she explained. “Can I sit out here with you?”

“Of course.”

She sat next to him on the couch. She was tense and sitting up straight for a moment. Then she slid over and leaned against him, tucking her head against his chest. He raised his arm and put it around her, happy when she accepted it and didn’t push him away.

He didn’t say anything else, hoping that she would relax and fall asleep against him. Sure enough, that was what happened a few minutes later.

He glanced down at her. She looked peaceful while she was asleep. Her face was smooth, and her lips were turned up in a slight smile.

He blushed as he realized he could see most of her cleavage from this angle. He wanted to look at it, of course, but not while she was asleep and couldn’t stop him if she didn’t want him to. So he forced himself to look back at the TV, concentrating instead on how warm and soft she felt against him.

When the episode was over, he shut off the TV and stood carefully, lifting her into his arms as he did. She’d be more comfortable in his bed.

He carried her back to the bedroom and laid her down gently. As soon as he let go of her, she stirred, turning over and grabbing his arm in one hand.

“Don’t go,” she murmured.

He smiled, reaching out and smoothing her hair away from her face. “I won’t,” he promised.

He put the sheet over her, smoothing it out, then slipped off his jeans and button-down shirt, wearing only his socks, boxer briefs, and undershirt. He got into the bed next to her and pulled the rest of the blankets over them.

She immediately snuggled close. He wrapped his arms around her, unable to resist, holding her close as she fell asleep again.

His own eyes closed, and he allowed himself to imagine a future where she was his like this every night. Maybe he would just hold her at first, but eventually they would do more. They would have a whole beautiful life together. And he couldn’t wait.


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin decides she can’t stay, but Sheriff goes after her when he realizes she’s gone.

The next morning, Robin woke up slowly, blinking, experiencing the slight disorientation that seemed to always accompany awakening in a new place. She’d thought she’d get used to it eventually, but she never had.

She vaguely remembered asking Sheriff to stay with her in the bed last night. She looked at the blankets now, smiling as she saw that he had used the sheet as a barrier between them just in case.

She was nestled against him, her back to his chest, her head tucked underneath his chin. His nose was in her hair, and her bottom fit perfectly against his hips. Which was how she could tell that he was incredibly hard against her. That made her smile more. He was still asleep, or else she was sure he would have been horribly embarrassed. He’d been so polite last night. If he had wanted to take advantage, she’d given him plenty of chances. He would have by now.

It made her realize how long it had been since she’d had sex. It was even longer since she’d had good sex. And, based on the size of what was pressing into her backside and the gentleness that Sheriff had showed her so far, she thought she could make a fair assumption that sex with him would be very good.

She turned over in his arms, tipping her head back to look at his serene face. She reached up, brushing some of his curls back from his forehead. They were softer than she’d expected them to be.

She could wake him and ask. It was obvious that he was lonely, and she doubted he’d say no. But she’d also sensed yesterday that he took things like sex very seriously. For him, sex would probably lead to a long-term relationship, and that certainly wasn’t something she was looking for.

So, as he started to stir, she turned back over, pretending she was asleep to save him from feeling bad when he realized the state he was in before he got out of bed.

She heard him gasp sharply and pull his hips back from her as he scrambled up a moment later. She almost giggled, but managed to contain herself. Not long after, she heard the bathroom door shut.

She laid in bed for a few more minutes, only sitting up once she heard the shower running. As her head cleared, she started to really think about the implications of what Sheriff had offered her last night.

He was being far too generous. He wanted to give her a job and a rent-free home in return for nothing. He didn’t seem to have any discernible ulterior motives, and that scared her. It either meant that he had one she hadn’t figured out yet, or that he was just genuinely that good of a person.

Either option made her wary. Not because of him. Because of her. She just didn’t know if she had it in her to be reliant on someone again, to trust someone again. And it was entirely unfair to accept his kindness when she knew that it would come to nothing. When she knew that, eventually, she would be so scared that she’d have to run, whether she really wanted to or not.

Better to do it now. She didn’t want him to hire her and then have to fill the position again, or come to rely on her around the house only to have her leave him in the lurch. And she knew that he was attracted to her. She wasn’t a fool. She didn’t want to hang around and give him hope that something might happen when it was already clear to her that she was no longer fit to be with anyone.

She had to leave before he got out of the shower, she knew. He’d argue with her, insist that she stay, and she didn’t know if she’d be able to say no to his face.

She pushed up out of his bed, throwing his shirt on top of it. She wasn’t going to take any of his things. Thankfully, she found her clothes from yesterday folded up neatly outside the bathroom door. The washer and dryer had their own space off of the bathroom, and he had probably put them there in case she had wanted to change if she got up before he was out. She pulled them on as she made her way to the front.

She only stopped for a moment. There was a dry erase board on his refrigerator where he left notes for himself. She quickly scrawled out a message, then jogged through the station part of the house, grabbing her bag before heading out the front door.

She’d get what she could carry from her car and walk to the nearest big city. She could disappear there until she had enough money to go somewhere else.

****

Sheriff heard Robin get up and start moving around while he was in the shower. When he emerged fully dressed, he saw that she’d put on her clothes. She was probably in the kitchen, making coffee or finding something to eat.

He wandered out there, stopping short when he didn’t see her anywhere. An uncomfortable feeling settled in the pit of his stomach as he saw something scrawled on his dry erase board. He stepped forward to read it.

_Thank you for your generosity, but I can’t accept more. I’m sorry._

For a moment, he couldn’t breathe. She’d left. She’d left and he was never going to see her again.

Then it occurred to him that she couldn’t have gone far. Her car didn’t work. He got his boots and hat and quickly went outside. His truck was still there. Not that he’d thought for a moment that she’d taken it. She wasn’t a thief.

Her things were in her car. So all he had to do was find it and then figure out which way she was trying to walk. She wasn’t going to get very far, and he was worried about her even trying. The roads were bound to be a mess thanks to yesterday’s storm, and it was going to be hot as well. He wondered if she even had water with her.

He got into his truck and immediately drove out of town. The roads here were dirt, and he could see her footprints in the mud. He followed them, thankful that they showed him which way to turn.

It didn’t take him long to reach her car. She wasn’t there, but he wasn’t surprised. He had taken his time in the shower because he hadn’t been expecting her to leave, so she had quite a start on him.

This was the little used highway near town, so it was paved. He couldn’t tell which way she’d gone. But he made an educated guess based on the way she’d been going down the road in the first place and chose that direction.

He drove slower than he wanted to, but he didn’t want to hit her either. Still, it wasn’t long before he saw her on the side of the road. The tightness in his chest lessened as he breathed a sigh of relief.

He pulled the car over on the side of the road and got out. “Robin!” he called, running over to her. He grabbed her arm, his worries about touching her gone. His only goal now was to get her to stay, no matter what he had to say. “Robin, please stop. Talk to me.”

When she turned to face him, his heart almost broke. She was crying. Her eyes were red and puffy, and there were tear tracks down her cheeks. She was holding her shoes in her hand again because they and her feet were caked in mud. She looked so sad and lost, and all he wanted was to rescue her.

He just had no idea how. He’d thought he’d gotten through to her last night. She must have changed her mind. So how did he change it back? He’d just have to lay all of his cards on the table and hope that she’d accept his reasons.

He moved his hands, holding her by both shoulders. “Talk to me,” he repeated softly.

She shook her head. “No one can help me,” she choked out, sniffling. “I’m too broken.”

He shook his head back at her. “Tell me what’s wrong. Are you running from an ex? Do you owe somebody money? I can fix those things. I can protect you. I can provide for you. All you have to do is let me.”

“It’s not that simple,” she protested. “I don’t even know how to explain it. It will sound stupid. I’m just going… away from where I was. I couldn’t stay there anymore. But it was my choice to leave, so this is my mess to get out of.”

She gazed up at him with her big hazel eyes and swallowed thickly. “I don’t have anyone,” she murmured. “I’m all alone. Nobody cares about me.”

It made sense, what she was saying. No one in the situation she was in would have waited this long to ask anyone they knew for help.

She started to sob and he pulled her into his chest, holding her gently. “That’s not true, Robin,” he whispered. “You have me. I care.”

“I don’t understand why you’re being so nice to me,” she told him. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

He couldn’t help noticing that she was hugging him tightly, in spite of everything. Her face was buried in his chest, and he rocked her slightly, trying to calm her down.

“Well, because being nice doesn’t cost a thing,” Sheriff answered, blushing as he added, “And I can’t stand to see the prettiest woman I’ve ever met cry.”

She looked up at him, wiping at her eyes with one hand. “You’re very sweet,” she told him softly. “Even though that can’t possibly be true.”

“I’m just telling the truth,” he insisted.

He brushed a few loose strands of her hair back from her face and gazed into her eyes. She gazed back, her expression softening the longer she looked.

“Maybe you are telling the truth,” she whispered, obviously shocked. Then, because she couldn’t help herself, she added, “Have you not met many women?”

He laughed and shook his head. “I’ve met plenty of women, Robin,” he assured her. “Here, and when I lived in Houston. My classmates were always trying to fix me up.”

“Most people wouldn’t be this nice, Sheriff,” she pointed out, not pulling away from the circle of his arms. “No matter how little it costs. Is it because you think I’m…”

She trailed off, clearly feeling guilty about the question. He quickly put her at ease. “Maybe they wouldn’t,” he agreed. “I don’t expect anything in return for my help, Robin. You don’t even have to thank me.”

He was aware that he hadn’t really answered her question, but he’d just got her to calm down. Now was not the time for the deeper feelings conversation.

“I like to cook,” she reminded him. “And I can clean. Just… let me help. You doing everything for me is far too much kindness. So, please, ask me when you need something.”

“I’ll remember that, Robin,” he promised.

“And I’ll do the job too,” she offered. “I’ve never worked in a police station before, but I have had assistant jobs, so I think I’d be good at it.”

“Then it’s yours, Robin. But don’t worry about it now. Let’s give you some time to settle in first, all right?”

She nodded, sighing and resting her head against his chest again. He didn’t know if she’d really given in, or if she was just too tired to argue anymore. At the moment, it didn’t really matter. What he was most interested in now was making sure she stayed and was all right.

“Come on, Robin. Let’s go back home, huh?”

She squeezed him tight when he called it home. He led her back over to his truck, lifting her by the waist and into the passenger seat. Once he was in on the driver’s side, she slid over to lean against him, much like she had last night on the couch.

He put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulders. “Relax, Robin,” he urged her. “Everything’s going to be just fine from now on, all right?”

“All right, Sheriff.”

He could tell she didn’t entirely believe it, but that was all right. Now he had plenty of time to prove it to her.


End file.
